Scientists use new method to zero in on source of tropical clouds
Thursday, April 26, 2012 - 07:01
in Earth & Climate
(Phys.org) -- High above the Earth, clouds too thin to see cover the tropics. Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have found a creative technique to identify the clouds' origins. Using several satellite data sources, they identified cloud formation mechanisms that occur in two distinct conditions. Knowing the different formation mechanisms will help scientists predict the amount of water vapor in the upper atmosphere, which affects the balance of warming and cooling that determines the Earth's climate. Their research was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.